At the end of the World.... (another) Jade Lagoon and Crooked Forest

 Day 4 Ushuaia, 

 It's located on the Tierra del Fuego archipelago, the southernmost tip of South America, nicknamed the “End of the World.” The windswept town, perched on a steep hill, is surrounded by the Martial Mountains and the Beagle Channel. It's the gateway to Antarctica cruises and tours to nearby Isla Yécapasela, known as “Penguin Island” for its penguin colonies.

A lovey hike up to Laguna Esmerelda.

My adventure started with a  20 min Uber out of the city to the starting point for the hike. Ruben my Uber driver was a local  but from Salta, the dessert area in the north west of Argentina. Unfortunately my Spanish isn't quite at the stage where we could mull over the climatic differences and ironies of moving from living in a region which feels like your on fire its so hot to living in the very cold 'land of fires' (to keep warm with). However we did discuss our grandmothers names - his Sarah, mine Joyce , there was no way he was going to be able to say Betty!!! Other topics; the lyrical qualities of the Beetles back catalogue  (linda, mucho linda = beautiful, very beautiful). where we were from (Argentinians are always so disappointed that they don't recognize Hereford as a city), the pulling power of different car engines  and my ofspring. I'm pretty sure he thinks I have a transgender child as I showed him a picture and then got  hija and hijo (e-sha/e-show) mixed up. 

By the time he drooped me off we were on cheek kissing terms so conversation must have gone ok 

 The trail started with a thick forest with no undercover - just fallen dead branches and masses of roots, the path is very well trodden and the earth strangely springy. I was pleased to see other hikers  and although it wasn't choker, the route was quite busy and really well signposted with blue squares nailed to the trees along the path. At times it was really boggy with helpful logs to step on.

I was amazed to find another stand of twisted tress like the grove my cousin and I had visited in Szczecin

Along the trail was the first of the jade lagoons, this one had petrified trees in the middle and of course the amazing Patagonian mountains all around on every side.

This green lagoon was fed by a beautiful jade stream which cascaded down the mountain side and along what I remember to be a hanging cwum from my geography O' Level.

The water is glacier melt and ( filtered through my magical 'Water to Go' water filter bottle) was fresh, crisp and delicious!!

the last part of the hike was a scramble up to Lagada Esmerelda and well worth the climb as she was beautiful. It was chilly as the wind came down off the glacier and across the lake, but in the shade it was a beautiful spot for my packed lunch and to admire the ever changing mountain vistas.

I had a walk round to the far side and then made my way back down, retracing my steps.

As I  approached the car park, I saw the piles of sticks I'd noticed at the start of the hike and realised what they were : discarded walking sticks from people coming back down the mountain!!